On the suggestion of his brothers,[2] who had emigrated earlier, he, his wife and four children, left for Australia on the Lysander, arriving at Port Adelaide on 6 September 1840.

[3] He found employment with Borrow & Goodiar, then purchased land near his brother's property at Hay Valley (near Nairne), which he farmed and in 1842 built a windmill for grinding flour, possibly the first in Australia.

While waiting for its arrival he worked for Ridley, helping to construct his famous reaper, proving its performance on D. McFarlane's land at Mount Barker.

For a time he managed the South Australian Company's first steam mill in Adelaide,[1] which had been set up by William Randell.

W. H. Dunn left in approximately 1875 to farm in the North, and the remaining partnership was continued until the death of Hill in 1885 and Shorney in 1891.

[8] He died with an estate of around £100,000 with substantial bequests to a large number of charities, many associated with the Methodist Church[9] and Prince Alfred College.

The building, on Mount Barker Road, is a tourist attraction; the millwheel operates electrically.

after his abortive mission to the South Seas, this steam mill went into operation early in 1866, but was burned down late that year.